A Running Total of: "The Late Additions"

Source: Husker Extra

During his press conference earlier this year, head coach Charlie Weis promised the hungry Kansas fan base that it would be fed: by May, we could expect a string of fifth year transfers and under-recruited high-school players to join the team. Let's just say that Weis and company are a little ahead of schedule. Granted it's only March, so there is still a lot of sand in the hour-glass, but I felt like if I didn't at least create a post to keep tabs on the additions, then I would leave you too far out of the loop. And who isn't looking for some easy reading until the spring game on April 28th? (I apologize for the photo. I thought I would never stoop down to this level, but hey, Josh Williams is ours now, you corn-fed traitors.)


Unless another category arises, which it likely won't, we will stick with a fairly simple format: Transfers and High School Signees. I will add as much info as I can when the crap hits the fan or whenever I deem it necessary. So, enjoy this for now, but as always: stay tuned...

TRANSFER(S):

Source: Zimbio

Josh Williams- DE from Denton, TX (University of Nebraska)

6’5”, 220 lb, 4.8 40 yd

KU Bio: Josh had 68 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, eight quarterback pressures, six sacks, and six deflected passes in 2007. He earned all-district and all-area honors as a junior in high school.

Rivals: 3* 5.7 RR

Scout: 4*

ESPN: 4* Grade: 80

Reported Offers: Nebraska (signed in 2008), Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

Kansas needed help up front, and boy did they ever get some on Thursday (3/15/12). Josh Williams confirmed that he is heading to Lawrence to help shore up the depleted defensive line. He was recruited by practically every big name school in the Midwest, but chose to take his talents to Nebraska. After working his way into the starting role, Williams fell out of favor with Coach Pelini and staff and was kicked off the team for a "violation of a team policy." I don't see it being a red flag, necessarily, moreso a result of the overly obsessive red-people in Lincoln... so let's just be thankful for this commitment (we value something called personal space here in Lawrence, so you needn't worry, Josh).


Williams was considered an undersized 3rd down speed rusher in high school, but has transformed his frame, and now can be relied upon at any juncture, not just on passing downs.

Over the past two seasons, Williams saw the field in all 26 of Nebraska's games. In 2009, Williams tallied 3 tackles (2 solo) in 3 games, in 2010: 12 tackles (4 solo) in 7 games, and in 2011: 15 tackles (5 solo) in 11 games. So yes, his productivity was limited, but it is also true that the "blackshirts," dare I say, have returned in Lincoln (order is somewhat restored), and guys like Ndamukong Suh and Jared Crick garnered much of the hooplah the past few seasons. Give Williams a chance to take in the limelight and see his numbers skyrocket. 

Williams will have one year of eligibility to smear the opposing quarterbacks and improve his draft stock. Even if he is double teamed and slowed, at least he will help open up some things for Toben Opurum. This is big, big news for the Hawks.

Source: UNHD

Mike Ragone- TE from Cherry Hill, NJ (University of Notre Dame)

6’4”, 221 lb, 4.5 40 yd

KU Bio: Ragone was named first team All-South Jersey by the Philadelphia Inquirer. As a junior in high school he caught 46 passes for 560 yards and scored 8 touchdowns.

Rivals: 4* 5.9 RR

Scout: 4*

ESPN: 4* Grade: 81

Reported Offers: Notre Dame (signed in 2007), Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Iowa, Maryland, Rutgers, and USC.

Ranked the 3rd best TE in the country, the 3rd best player in the state of New Jersey, and the 83rd best player overall in the 2007 class, Ragone was a very good receiver with good hands and concentration in high school. He has excellent size and speed (a long strider), he can create on his own and has potential for major YAC and he is a strong blocker at the point of attack. On paper, he is the becomes the best tight end on the Kansas depth chart. The only roadblock is that he has yet to prove it at the collegiate level.

In his four years at Notre Dame, Ragone caught only 11 passes for 109 yards. His long was a 30 yard catch. Injuries plagued him throughout his career, he has gone through three knee surgeries in seven years, so he may have lost a step, which could be cause for concern. Sources say that Ragone should be healthy when he gets to Lawrence, and let's not overlook the importance of being reunited with head coach Weis and former quarterback Dayne Crist.

Ragone was granted a 6th year of eligibility from the NCAA clearing house, so he will have 1 year to don the crimson and blue. Expect him to start and to give the Jayhawks a nice check down receiver, a solid run and pass blocker, and great effort. Anything more than that is gravy.

Source: Jayhawk Slant

Aslam Sterling- OL from Garden City, NY (Nassau Community College)

6’5”, 330 lb, 5.3 40 yd

KU Bio:

March 12, 2012
LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas head coach Charlie Weis continues to make plays in the 2012 signing period as he added New York offensive lineman Aslam Sterling to his first Jayhawk haul Monday. Sterling, who comes to KU from Nassau Community College, is the 20th player to sign with KU in 2012, in addition to three January transfers, pushing Weis' first class haul to a total of 23 athletes.
Sterling, who played left tackle at NCC, started every game of his two year career with the program leading the Lions to a combined 19-2 mark. Playing under Curt Gilliam at NCC, Sterling earned All-Northeast Football Conference honors in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns.
In 2010, Sterling was a part of an offensive line that was instrumental in helping NCC running back, Steven Miller, rush for more than 1,000 yards on his way to Northeast Conference Most Valuable Player and All-American honors. With Sterling leading the way, the Lions finished the 2010 season with a perfect 11-0 mark and No. 3 national ranking.
Sterling attended Bayside High School in Queens, N.Y., before moving on to NCC. He earned All-Borough and All-City honors, while playing both center and right guard at BHS.
The Springfield Garden, N.Y., native chose to sign with Kansas after receiving interest from West Virginia, Syracuse, Rutgers and Buffalo. He will graduate from NCC in May and join the Jayhawks in June in preparation for the 2012 football season.

Rivals: 2* 5.3 RR

Scout: NR

ESPN: NR

Reported Offers: Buffalo and Stony Brook.

JUCO talent out of New Jersey. That's any oxymoron if I have ever heard one, and that is just what makes Sterling such a nice little steal this late in the game. Sterling's situation is about as rare as hen's teeth, and his addition is well worth its weight in gold. At 6'5", 330 lbs, Sterling has a Big 12 body for sure. Can he move laterally with Big 12 defensive ends? That is the question of the hour. His Community College Coach thinks so.  He said that Sterling was grossly overlooked by the big schools, so he played the waiting game rather than signing with Buffalo or Stony Brook, and sure enough, a (relatively) big name in Kansas came calling.

Source: NDSMC Observer

Anthony McDonald- LB from Sherman Oaks, CA (University of Notre Dame)

6’2”, 230 lb, 4.5 40 yd

KU Bio: 

April 13, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Kansas football added another proven player to its roster in Anthony McDonald, who is joining the Jayhawks after transferring from Notre Dame. McDonald is scheduled to complete his degree in May, making him eligible to play for KU in 2012.

McDonald, a native of Burbank, Calif., played in 28 games for the Irish during his four seasons in South Bend. After sitting out the 2008 season as a true freshman, McDonald appeared in all 12 of Notre Dame's games during the 2009 season playing under then Irish head coach and current Kansas head coach Charlie Weis. McDonald, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker, collected 10 tackles in 2009 while playing primarily on special teams.

During the 2010 season, McDonald played in 11 games for the Irish and recorded 11 tackles. He tallied three tackles in games versus Michigan State, Stanford and Miami (Fla.). In his final season at Notre Dame, McDonald recorded three tackles, while seeing action in four games.

McDonald, who will graduate from Notre Dame next month with a degree in sociology, was selected to play in U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio following his senior season at Notre Dame High School, where he teamed up with fellow Jayhawk, senior quarterback Dayne Crist. McDonald, who was coached by Kevin Rooney at NDHS, was placed on the all-Southern California team by Southern California Football Coaches Association and Orange County Register and was also named to the first-team all-Southern California team by GoldenStatePreps.com after he recorded 79 tackles and one sack in 11 games during his senior season.

McDonald was ranked by Scout.com the eighth-best middle linebacker in the country and the 16th-best prospect in California. McDonald was considered the 22nd-best player in California by SuperPrep and the third-best linebacker in the state, while Rivals.com rated him No. 31 in the state of California and the 11th-best inside linebacker. McDonald's father, Mike, played at USC and was a long snapper for the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL. 

Rivals: 4* 5.8 RR

Scout: 4*

ESPN: 3* Grade: 79

Reported Offers: Notre Dame (signed in 2008), Boston College, and Oregon.

Coming out of high school (the same alma mater as Crist), McDonald was a highly touted prospect. He was the 31st best player in the state of California and the 221st best player (the 11th best MLB) in the country according to Rivals, and the eighth rated MLB according to Scout. Not only were the scouts drooling, but Charlie Weis was very high on him coming out of high school too. Given the fact that he has given him a scholarship once again, I would think that he is still high on his capabilities.


On tape, McDonald looks to be very fundamentally sound. Maybe he doesn't jump out at you, but hey, I will gladly take another Joe Mortensen (or ten) after what we saw last fall. He is disciplined and he tackles very well. He has decent speed and a good initial burst to go along with good instincts. He does an excellent job of shucking blockers and sifting through the LOS to the ball-carrier/Quarterback, but the main concern, and probably the only real one (well, maybe outside of injuries), is whether he can hang tough against the Big 12 aerial attacks he will see on a weekly basis. For as good as McDonald is against the run, he is a liability against the pass.

In his four years at Notre Dame, McDonald played in 28 games and collected 24 tackles. He has fought through a string of injuries throughout his career including an ACL tear his freshman year, concussion problems his sophomore year, and knee problems his junior year. When he wasn't slowed by injury, he was lost in the shadow of Manti Te'o. 

I can't say that I expect McDonald to move mountains at linebacker, and at this juncture, I can't even say that I expect him to start, but he will provide some quality depth for certain. We may or may not remember his name this time next year, but with him only being a one-year player, it's worth the shot. I think realistically, McDonald has the potential to be a second or third team All-Big 12 linebacker. That is probably his summit. His valley? A nice special teams contributor. Either way it breaks, I can't really complain. Low-risk and semi-high reward at stake here.   

    

HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES:

Source: ESPN

 Tevin Shaw- RB from Piscataway, NJ 

5’11”, 190 lb, 4.42 40 yd

KU Bio: 
Feb. 13, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- New Jersey standout running back Tevin Shaw has joined the 2012 Kansas Football signing class Jayhawk head coach Charlie Weis announced Monday. Shaw, who attends Piscataway High School, is the 18th player to sign with KU in the February signing period, in addition to three January transfers, pushing Weis' first class haul to a total of 21 athletes.

Shaw dominated the state of New Jersey in 2011 racking up First Team All-State honors, in addition to being named the Middlesex County Player of the Year by the Newark Star-Ledger. He rushed for 1,596 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior and led his team to the New Jersey Section 2, Group 4 title for the second-straight season. In the title game versus Elizabeth, Shaw set a school record with 304 rushing yards. He also scored three TDs, including the game winner.

Shaw owns the Piscataway High School records for career rushing yards (2,848), rushing touchdowns (45) and longest rush (98 yards). Coached by Dan Higgins at Piscataway, Shaw was also an outstanding defensive player, tallying 90 tackles and seven interceptions in 2011 on his way to Defensive Player of the Year honors by the Somerville News Tribune.

Also a standout wrestler, Shaw placed second in the New Jersey State Wrestling Championships as a junior, wrestling at 171 pounds. He holds the school record for wins with 120 and is currently 25-0 as a senior wrestling in the 185-pound weight class. He has led the PHS wrestling team to the County Championship in each of the last three years, earning MVP honors in 2011. Additionally, Shaw competes in track and field, running both the 100 and 200 meters and is a member of the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams.

Rivals: 3* 5.5 RR

Scout: 2*

ESPN: 2* Grade: 73

Reported Offers: Akron, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Penn State, South Carolina, Temple, and Towson.


On paper, there is a whole lot of things to get excited about when you analyze Tevin Shaw. He has good speed (an unofficial 4.42 forty), ideal size (5'11" and 190 lb.), some considerable strength (benching 300 and squatting 350), and some heavyweight offers (Iowa, Maryland, Penn State, South Carolina). When you watch him on film, though, that's when you think, 'how in the world did he fall into our laps this late in the game?' To me, he looks a lot like Tony Pierson, but thicker and a good tad slower. Granted, the competition in New Jersey isn't like it is in Texas, maybe not even in Kansas, but Shaw breaks tackles and just leaves defenders in the dust. 


Rumors were abound that Pierson might help assuage the d-back problems by switching sides of the ball, but as much as I like him at running back, I think Shaw would make a better defensive back, because A, he is less expendable, and B, he is taller. With Marquis Jackson moving to running back, the position is back to being a log jam for minutes. Defensive back, on the other hand, will graduate 2 safeties and 2 corners after season's end, and 3 more corner's the year after.    

Source: The Screwballs

 Neal Page- DE from Birmingham, MI 

6’5”, 220 lb, 4.96 40 yd

KU Bio:

Feb. 27, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Dominant defensive end Neal Page of Birmingham, Mich., chose to play football at the University of Kansas, signing with the Jayhawks and head coach Charlie Weis. Page, who prepped at Seaholm High School, is the 19th player to sign with KU in the February signing period, in addition to three January transfers, pushing Weis' first class haul to a total of 22 athletes. 

A three-year starter at defensive end at Seaholm, Page set the all-time records at the school in tackles for a loss, tackles by a defensive lineman and most quarterback pressures. He finished his outstanding prep career ranked third in school history with 20.5 sacks on his way to receiving All-Area honors. Page was also named a First Team All-OAA (Oakland Activities Association) selection following his senior season, after helping lead the Maples to the State Playoffs for the first time in six seasons and a 6-4 overall mark.
Page, who was twice named a team captain at Seaholm, chose the Jayhawks over interest from Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Illinois.
Page is one of five defensive linemen to sign with KU during the February 2012 signing period. He joins fellow high school signee Tyler Holmes (Sachse HS) and junior college linemen Ty McKinney (Trinity Valley CC), Keon Stowers (Georgia Military College) and Jordan Tavai (El Camino CC) in Weis' first signing class. 

Rivals: 2* 5.2 RR

Scout: 2*

ESPN: 3* Grade: 76

Reported Offers: Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Illinois State, and Western Michigan.\


Length and want-to. That is what you are getting out of Page. A guy with some raw skill and a desire. For Weis, that is the player he is looking for. Ask and you shall receive.